Abstract: We study the behavior of a flexible polymer chain in the presence of a
low-molecular weight solvent in the vicinity of a liquid-gas critical point
within the framework of a self-consistent field theory. The total free energy
of the dilute polymer solution is expressed as a function of the radius of
gyration of the polymer and the average solvent number density within the
gyration volume at the level of the mean-field approximation. Varying the
strength of attraction between polymer and solvent we show that two
qualitatively different regimes occur at the liquid-gas critical point. In case
of weak polymer-solvent interactions the polymer chain is in a globular state.
On the contrary, in case of strong polymer-solvent interactions the polymer
chain attains an expanded conformation. We discuss the influence of the
critical solvent density fluctuations on the polymer conformation. The reported
effect could be used to excert control on the polymer conformation by changing
the thermodynamic state of the solvent. It could also be helpful to estimate
the solvent density within the gyration volume of the polymer for drug delivery
and molecular imprinting applications.